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Death of Precious Reef
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Posted on Apr 25 2002
The Issue: Corals are dying from a myriad of factors, including change in ocean temperature, silt from water runoffs, use of clorox, and indiscreet dumping of used oil, etc.
Over the last 20-30 years, progress has descended in the business center of the NMI. It brought a new lifestyle for the better. But it also brought with it a price we all must pay–various forms of destructive pollutants that now reside permanently along the shores and reefs of this island.
Through the years, as more roads are paved around the island, more water run-offs also head to drainage systems (untreated) that eventually land in the lagoon. Polluted water and silt have gradually destroyed corals and fish habitats in our lagoon. The issuance of red flags discouraging fishing and swimming in certain beaches come out weekly from the Division of Environmental Quality.
The beaches and lagoon are two very precious venues here. It is where our people fish and swim. The sun, sea and surf are also major attractions for visitors from nearby cold countries. Definitely, the NMI can no longer ignore its polluted beaches and slow death of its lagoon. We can’t imagine an island riddled with sign posts declaring “No Swimming” in most beaches here. Nor can we imagine and island without fish in its lagoon.
We teach our children about the environment. Today, they are environmentally literate and we are most happy of the message we have conveyed to them about the benefits of a healthy environment. But it seems that we’re equally negligent of the measures needed to be undertaken to ensure that what we preach goes in tandem with the protection of a fragile island eco-system.
As small as it may be, an island paradise is supposed to be clean, and that all efforts are undertaken to ensure a fully protected eco-system.
In other words, concrete action is needed today. Enough said already!
